The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-14
TEAL, THE C0UNTERFEITER.
An Old Maker of Spurious Silver Coin
Again Taken Into Custody.
Some of His Money Found in His Possession,
and His Counterfeiting Apparatus Cap
tured-HiS Alleged Confederate.

Counterfeit silver dollars have been in crcu-
lation in Indianapolis for several weeks, and so
perfect have the spurious coins been made that
generally they have been accepted wherever
offered without suspicion, and not until they
have fallen into the hands of experts
has it been discovered that they were
not the genuine money of the
realm. The complaints, however, became
so frequent that United States Marshal Hawkins
was convinced that gang of counterfetersfwere
Systematically putting their money into ciTcula-
ton in this city. and month ago he sent to
Capt G. r. Ewes, chief of the secret service of
this district. to send a government detective
here to investigate the case. In the meantime
Marshal Hawkins had onevof his deputies
give some attention to the matter,
and from his suspicious and clews that
were obtained, he soon became convinced that
| the work being done by William Teal, a
notorious counterfeiter, who has served two
| terms in the Michigan City penten tiary, and
was released from there only last fall
| Captain Ewes having no assistant available
| for immediate service, came to the city himself
| a week ago, and began work upon tho case
with the aid of deputy detailed for that pur-
pose by Marshal Hawkins. Teal was traced
| to the Empire Block, on Massachusetts avenue,
whore he was found living in small room. with
some of his female relatives. He spent most of
his time in the place. and it was ascertained that
he conducted his outside operations through a
confederate. The cews that were fol-
lowed soon led to the suspicion
of Thomas Riggs, a man claiming TO be in the
employ of NJ NJ. Williams, the grocer, as an
outside representative of the store. The detect
| i've cultivated his acquaintance and learned from
| him that his business occupied but
little of his time, and that he
| WAS interested in scheme much
| more profitable than selling groceries. Their
| confidential conversations about this scheme cul-
minated, it IS claimed, in Riggs last week sell
ing to the detective six Of Teals counterfeit dol
lars at discount. Having obtained this evil
dence against Riggs the next move was
to set trap for Teal Arrangements were made
with him by the detective, after getting com.
pletely into his confidence to start out last even
ing to pass his counterfeit dollars on cigar
Dealers druggists and saloon keepers, the detec
tive agreeing to put the money into circulation
| while Teal waited for him on the outside
Of the places they intended to visit
The two hadn't gone very far down Massachu
sets avenue on this expedition last evening wher
Captain Ewes, Marshal Hawkins and DEBUT,
Frank Miller stepped up to Tea! and placed HIN
under arrest AS the officers started with him t
the Jail he drew a handful of coin from
his rocket and threw the stuff into the street
Seven Of the dollars were found in the mud
After Teal was placed in Jail the officers Wis
tied his room in the Empire Block, and made
thorough search of it. An opening about foo
square was found IN the floor of a closet, ant
under it was discovered his counterfeiting appa
ratus, including metals, Eolds, chemicals
wooden vises, battery and 160 counterfeit
pieces. finished and readyfor use.
Riggs was next arrested Mt his home, on NORTH
East street, and was taken to the police-staton
the officers desiring TO keep them separated
, feiters who followed the business of makin
spurious coin for years before they were fnall
discovered. The father and two sons were caueh
+ making money at their home in Greenfield, six o
seven years ago, and were each sentenced t
terms in the Michigan City penitentiary Il
their home was found large amount of coun
, terfeit money After his release from priso
William returned to this city, aud a
l once resumed his old business, but he was 500
afterward caught at work in the same buidn
where his outfit was found last night, and wa
sentenced to two years Imprisonment 1t wa
believed at that time that he could not liv
through his term. as he was apparently phys
! ical wreck.